The OFC Professional League has taken a major step forward with a workshop for General Managers and CEOs of the preferred clubs for the inaugural competition next year.
FIFA and OFC collaborated to host the workshop in Fiji (September 27 and 28) which served as an opportunity for clubs to connect, share ideas, and prepare for the league’s highly anticipated kick-off on 10 January 2026.
The workshop focused on key areas essential for building a professional football foundation. These were organisational structure and governance, commercialisation and communication strategies, understanding FIFA’s Transfer Matching System (TMS), (an online system which each Member Association are obligated to use to process the international clearances of both Amateur and Professional players) and player registration process. With some participating clubs being newly established, these sessions played a vital role in setting standards and expectations ahead of the league’s debut season.
Representatives from the eight preferred clubs, Bula FC (Fiji), PNG Hekari FC (Papua New Guinea), Solomon Kings FC (Solomon Islands), Tahiti United FC (Tahiti), Vanuatu United FC (Vanuatu), Auckland FC and South Island United FC (both New Zealand), and South Melbourne FC, (Australia) attended the two day workshop in Nadi.
Stuart Larman, Head of the OFC Professional League, and Jay Aickin, OFC Clubs and Leagues Manager were joined by Ornella Desirée Bellia, FIFA Director of Professional Football Relations & Development, Fiji Football Association General Secretary Mohammed Yusuf, international experts such as Chyna Charles, Football Australia, Raúl Sanllehí, President of Football Operations at Inter Miami, Luis Rodríguez, former President of FC Juárez, and María Victoria Albertos, strategic communication adviser.
Aickin highlighted the spirit of collaboration within the region, noting, “One of the speakers put it quite succinctly where the only competition is on the pitch, and off the pitch it’s all a shared vision of wanting to help develop and professionalise football in the region.”
Larman emphasised the importance of understanding professional structures and player contracting, adding that the insights shared by guest speakers from established clubs were invaluable. Looking to the future, he expressed optimism about the Professional League’s long-term impact, from improving national team performance to growing the commercial side of football and deepening community engagement.
As Aickin summed up, the upcoming league represents creating a football economy, inspiring the next generation, and elevating the game across Oceania.
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Photo and Video Credit: Boss Media Communications